Compound nouns as linguistic framing devices in Arabic news headlines in the context of the Israel-Gaza conflict

Abstract

Compound nouns, whether metaphorical or otherwise, are compact and image-evoking linguistic structures widely used in news headlines. However, a review of the relevant literature shows that they have not been examined in the context of news headlines in Arabic media. Hence, this study aims to identify the role of metaphoric and catchy noun compounds as powerful framing devices in Arabic news headlines, specifically within the context of the Israel-Gaza conflict. Drawing on Entman’s (1993) Framing Theory we analysed the corpus, comprising 350 news article headlines sourced from Arabic news agencies and identified compounds using Altakhaineh's (2019) criteria for compoundhood. The overall number of collected compounds amounted to 231 (196 endocentric and 35 exocentric). The study reveals a purposive use of both endocentric and, on occasions, exocentric noun compounds as catchy expressions and metaphors, showing how they influence the narrative surrounding the target conflict. The deliberate preference for endocentric compounds over exocentric ones in Arabic news headlines reinforces the importance of clarity and immediate comprehension in framing devices to ensure effective communication. Through the identification and analysis of ten frames, we argue that the use of compounds as framing devices in Arabic media coverage of the Israel-Gaza conflict reflects a distinctive perspective, constructing a reality that markedly diverges from the narrative often depicted in some Western media. This study contributes to the understanding of Arab media framing, emphasizing the role of compounds in creating compelling, compact, memorable, and emotionally charged representations of current events.

Keywords

• media discourse analysis
• noun compounds
• framing
• news headlines
• metaphor
• arabic